Exclusive: Braun Enterprises Kicks Off New Heights Redevelopment

HOUSTON BUSINESS JOURNAL

Houston-based Braun Enterprises is launching a new redevelopment project just west of T.C. Jester Boulevard in the Heights.

The developer, which often acquires older inner-Loop buildings and flips them into viable retail and restaurant developments, will break ground on Grove Heights this week, Braun Enterprises's Zach Wolf told the Houston Business Journal. The retail development, at 1900 W. 18th St., has nabbed leases from Colorado-based Sola Salon Studios and New York-based I Love Kickboxing, Wolf said.

Sola Salon Studios, which already has several locations in Houston, will occupy 5,748 square feet. I Love Kickboxing will occupy 2,959 square feet and also has a handful of Houston storefronts.

Grove Heights should deliver in around six months, Wolf said. There's roughly 1,500 square feet of space still available in Grove Heights, Wolf said, and Braun is seeing interest from fast-casual restaurants and prospective medical tenants.

Just down the street, Braun is also redeveloping the property at 1805 W. 18th St. Braun will replace the Pizza Hut restaurant at that address with La Vista, a Houston Italian restaurant with a location at 1936 Fountain View Dr. in Tanglewood. La Vista will open its doors in a few months, and its Fountain View location will be closing this month.

Sola Salon was represented by Edge Realty Partners' Jamie Weaver, and Josh LaRocca with Avison Young represented I Love Kickboxing. Sola is already a Braun Enterprises tenant at the recently renovated 535 W. 20th St. The Grove Heights studio will be Sola's third location in the Heights.

Back in January, Braun announced plans to purchase Jimmy's Ice House, a longtime Heights watering hole at 2803 White Oak, from owner Rose Garden Holdings. The developer is also partnering with Houston-based Baker Katz on the redevelopment of 1919 Washington Ave.— an historic building that currently houses Julep, a popular cocktail bar and Gulf Coast seafood eatery.